Episode-1

Chapter 1: The Room with a View

The cold air nipped at her skin as she walked down the narrow street, the weight of the world on her shoulders. Aaradhya had been dreaming of a life like this for years—one where she didn’t have to worry about where her next meal would come from, or where she would sleep at night. But dreams were often nothing more than fleeting fantasies, and reality had a way of slapping her in the face.

The job in the city was her lifeline. It was the reason she had packed up and left everything behind. She had no family, no friends to lean on. She was just another orphan trying to survive in a world that had forgotten her. So when she found out that the rent for most apartments was far out of her budget, she’d been devastated.

But then, she saw it—a small, almost forgotten poster hanging in the corner of a shop window. The faded paper read, “House for Rent. Affordable price. Peaceful location.”

Aaradhya didn’t hesitate. She rushed to the address, hoping, praying that it was real.

When she arrived, the place was far from perfect. The house was old, the paint chipped, and the windows creaked under the slightest movement. But the rent was just about what she could afford, and that was enough. It was far enough from the city center to be cheap, but close enough to make commuting manageable.

She stepped inside and felt an immediate chill in the air. The house was empty, but somehow it felt alive—not with people, but with something else. Something unseen.

As she settled in, the eerie feeling didn’t go away. The house seemed to whisper in the silence, as though it were holding its breath, waiting.

The first few days were quiet, and Aaradhya tried to focus on her job. But every time she looked out of the window, something caught her eye.

Across the street, in the house that seemed to be just as abandoned, there was a figure. A man. He always stood by the window, looking out with a soft smile on his face. His gaze would meet hers, and he would smile even wider, as if acknowledging her presence.

At first, Aaradhya thought nothing of it. But then, she realized—he was always there. Every day, at the same time, just standing, smiling, watching.

She wasn’t sure why, but it felt comforting to see him. There was something about him—something calm and warm—that made her feel less alone.

One evening, as she stood by her window, looking at him, she saw him do something strange. Instead of just standing there, he waved. Aaradhya blinked, unsure if she’d seen it correctly. But then, he waved again.

Without thinking, she raised her hand in response.

To her surprise, he smiled even brighter and waved back.

The next day, she saw him again. This time, he was sitting by the window, reading a book. He looked up when he felt her gaze, and when he saw her, he gave her a soft nod.

It was then that Aaradhya realized—he wasn’t just a neighbor. He was something else, something more.

Days passed, and their silent communication continued. Each glance from her window was met with a wave or a smile. But it wasn’t until one evening, as the sky turned dark and the wind howled through the empty streets, that he spoke to her.

He hadn’t just waved or smiled. He had spoken.

“Good evening,” he said, his voice muffled by the distance.

Aaradhya’s heart skipped a beat. Her hand froze on the windowsill, her fingers curling around the cold wood. She couldn’t believe it.

“Who… who are you?” she whispered under her breath, unsure if he could hear her.

The smile on his face didn’t waver, and he leaned closer to the window. “I’m the one who sees you.”

Aaradhya’s breath hitched. The words felt like a secret, shared between two people who were too scared to speak their truths aloud.

But as the days went by, the question lingered in her mind.

Who was he?

And more importantly… why did it feel like he was watching her for a reason?

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